At the moment there is a significant shift happening in the technology space. If one goes back into the early 90’s in the cellphone industry, it was literally a race to make the smallest cellphone. The aim was to cram all of the functionality into a device that can easily be held in your hand. Fast forward 20 years and the exact opposite can be seen in the cellphone industry. The cellphones are getting bigger in size to ensure a better browsing experience for users. Whoever coined the term “phablet” must be given a pat on the back as it describes the current design pattern very well. (For those not sure, phablet is a phone with a tablet-like experience.)

It is not only cellphones that are experiencing a change of design. The tablet industry is currently in a race to make the thinnest and lightest tablet. Think about it, the original iPad was heavy and a nightmare to use. Your arms would get tired after using it for a few hours. Every iPad since then has been optimised by Sir Jonny Ive to make sure they are more comfortable to use (when lying on the bed, sitting on the couch etc).

However Sony, who can be seen as a late tablet entrant has now upset the applecart. They have unveiled a 10″ Tablet that is the thinnest and lightest yet. Let us all agree on one thing. Tablets have become a must-have device in a very short space of time. Are we moving into a period where functionality will be trumped by aesthetics, if we are not already in it?

The fact that Sony managed to pack all these specifications into an ultra-thin lightweight frame needs to be commended. The Sony Xperia Z is only 6.9 mm’s thick and weighs 495 grams, making it the thinnest and lightest 10-inch tablet in the world. In real terms it is thinner than your pen that you write with and weighs less than a kilogram worth of rice.

Is the Sony Experia Z (seen below) the start of a possible revival for Sony or a sign of increasing desperation for a winning product?

Sony has not released further details, pricing for the Sony Experia Z or whether it will be available in South Africa.